John schofield



(No Model) J. SCHOFIELD.

SIGNAL CAR FOR RAfLWAY TRAINS.

y Pa/nented July 3, 1883.

INVBNTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY S.

N Pawns, Phoio-Uihognphur. Washinglnn, u. r;

UNITED rams PATENT Fries.

JOHN SOHOFIELD, OF SOUTH RIVER, NEXV JERSEY.

SIGNAL-CAR FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,523, dated July 3, 1883.

v Application filed February 12, 1883. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN SOHOFIELD, of South River, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved SignalOar for Railway-Trains, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved signal-car, which is adapted to run back from the rear end of a train and signal a train following the one from which the car has been sent, for the purpose of preventing one train from running into the rear end of the other.

The invention consists in a signal-car adapted to be held on the under side of the rear car of a train, which signal-car carries suitable signals, and is provided with a mechanism for operating the same, and with devices for releasing the mechanism as soon as the car is I lowered on the tracks, whereby the signal-car will run back from the last ear of the train and will signal and stop the following train.

The invention also consists in devices for drawing the signal-car back to the railwaycar, and in various combinations of parts and details, as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter.

, Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of my improved signal-car for railway-trains. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same.

In a frame, A, two axles, B, are journaled, on which wheels are mounted,which are adapt ed to run on the usual rails, O. The wheels are to be of less diameter than the usual railwaycar wheels; but the length of the axles is to be the same as those of the wheels on ordinary cars.

On the front axle, B, a pinion, D, is'loosely mounted, which is made, integral with a female clutch, E, also loosely mounted on the said axles. A male clutch, F, is made integral with a grooved pulley, G, which pulley G and clutch F are so mounted on the axle B that they turn with the same, butcanbe moved longitudinally on the said axle to engage the said male clutch F with the female clutch- E, or to disengage the clutches. The end of an arm, H, at the lower end of a vertical shaft, I, passes into the groove of the pulley G, and to the upper end of the said shaft 1 an angular arm, K, is attached, to which a rope or cord, L, is fastened, whereby by pulling on the cord the shaft I will be turned in such a manner that its arm H will move the pulley G and clutch F from the clutch Ethat is, will disengage the clutch F from the clutch E. In place of the shaft I, provided with the arms H and K, any other suitable device may be provided for moving the clutch F from the clutch E by means of the rope. The pinion D engages with a cog-wheel, M, mounted 011 a shaft, N, on which a pinion, O, is mounted, which engages with a cog-wheel, P, which is acted upon by a very powerful spiral spring, Q, one end of which is secured to the frame, and the other end is secured to the wheel P. The spring Q can be wound up by means of a key or crank applied on the shaftR of the spring. A ratch etwheel, S, is rigidly mounted on the front axle. A pawl lever, T, which is provided with a bend, T, adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet S,isjournaled on the frame A in such a manner that one end of the lever hangs down. At the lower end the saidlever is provided with an arm, V,which extends from the lever T such a distance that it can rest on the rails C. The entire mechanism is covered by a box, Z, secured on the frame A, and on the front end of the said box ared lantern,U, or a signal-flag, or analogous device for signaling is secured.

The operation is as follows: The spring Q is wound up, the clutch F is engaged with the clutch E, and the mechanism is locked by means of the pawl-lever T, the bent part T of which engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel S, and thus prevents the spring from uncoiling and operating the mechanism. The

"signal-car is held on the under side of the rear end of the last car of the train in such a manner that the front end of .the signal-car-that is, the end on which the lantern or signal U is fastenedprojects toward the rear end of the train. If, for any reason whatever, the train stops, and a train following the train which is stopped is to be signaled, the signal-car is lowered upon thetracks or rails C". As soon as l the arm of the pawl-level. T strikes the tracks it will be raised slightly, as is shown in Fig. 2, where the arm V is shown resting on the rail. By raising the pawl-lever '1 in the manner described it will be disengaged from the ratchet-wheel S,and will permit the spring mechanism to rotate the front axle, B, for the pinion D is rotated by the mechanism, and as the pinion islocked bymeans of the clutches E and F, together with the pulley G, which is adapted to turn with. the shalt B, it follows that the shaft B will be rotated in the direction of the arrow a and the signatcarwill run in the inverse direction from that in which the train from which it has been released runs as soon as the car is lowered sufliciently to raise the pawl-lever T by striking against the rail. The signalear runs from one-eighth to oneiburth ot' a mile from the rear end of the train, according to the power and size of the spring Q, and then stops, and a train running in the same direction as the train from which the signal-car has been released will see the signal-lantern U or other signal on the signal-car and willbe signaled to stop. One train is thus prevented from running into the rear end of another train. A rope, L, extends from the signal-car to the car from which it has been released, and it the train moves forward the signal-ear is drawn along by means of the said rope, for as soon as the rope L is pulled the shaft I is turned on its longitudinal axis, and the lower arm, H, of the shaft I draws the clutch F from the clutch E, thereby disengagtlie pinion D from the shaft and permitting the shaft to revolve loosely in the same. The signal-ear can then be drawn in the same direction as that in which the train from which it has been released moves. If desired, it can be drawn after the train, always remaining a certain distance from the rear end oi'the same; or it can be drawn back to the last car of the train by winding the rope L .on a drum provided for this purpose. It desired, the rope L can be dispensed with and the signal-car can remain on the track to be pushed or drawn back to the train by the attendants; but 1: prefer to use the rope. Alter the signal-ear has been drawn back to the train, the spring. is immediately wound up and it is ready to be used again.

The advantages of my improved signal-car are that it runs from the rear end of. the train much more rapidly than a flagman or brakeman could run. The approaching train can be signaled without dispensing with the serv ices of one of the men of the train, and the signal is perfectly safe and reliable, andmany accidents and loss of life will be avoided by the same.

Having thusfull y described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In railway signal-cars, the signal-car capable of being held to the railway-car, and having spring propelling or actuating and cogged gear mechanism, a ratcluzt-wheel, and a compound pawl-lever, adapted, as the signalcar is lowered upon the track, to release the actuating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In railway signal-cars tlna signal-car eapable of being held to the railway-car, and having spring propelling and cogged gear mechanism,and a pawl-lever having two bends or arms and pivoted to the signal-car, one of said arms being adapted to engage with a ratehet-wheel on the signal-ear driving-shaft, and the other arm to strike the rails of the track as the signal-ear is lowered thereon and retract the former arm from the ratchet-wheel substantially as set forth.

3. In a signal-ear, the combination, with its driving-shalt and a ratchet-wheel thereon, ot' the pawl le\"e1.' adapted to engage with said pinion and to be disengaged thereon by its contact with the track-rail as the car is lowered upon the track, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a railway-ear, the combination, with its driving-shait and a ratchet-wheel thereon, of the pawl-lever, having an arm which engages with the said pinion, and a second arm which is adapted to rest on the track-rail as the car is lowered upon the track, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

()smn F. GUXZ, (7. Snoownac. 

